Update

[Mickey]

Commitments to date: 2QB, 1FB, 1RB, 5OL, 1DL, 1LB, 1WR/CB, 1CB/RB.

Since we have plenty of OL commits and signed 6 OL last year, some OL will probably be moved to defense from these two classes depending upon if we sign some DT's this year. Possibilities to move to DL are: Benson DE has already made the move, Guidry DT, Johnson DE, Peveto DT, Boren DT, Turner DT, Bey or Horton DE.

Assuming 9 more recruits, the priority has to be: K, 2DT,CB, S, WR, LB,JUCO QB,TE.

[Higher Authority]

Not sure about most of those guys, but after running at DE all season on the scout team, Darrin Johnson will play TE next year. He's not overly fast, but as we all know, he's massive, and he has enormous hands. One of the coaches said he catches everything that comes near him. And then he will run folks over.

And as for priorities:
2 defensive tackles
2 or 3 safeties
JUCO quarterback
Linebacker
Kicker (I still have faith in McMurtray)

We have a lot of RBs coming back next year, and look for Anthony Barnett to escape the logjam in the backfield by becoming an extremely dangerous slot receiver.

[Mickey]

There is talk about moving Johnson to TE, but the coaches are really pleased with Ryan Kennedy at that position. My bet is that Johnson will play DE as both of these guys need to be playing and not as a back up for the other.

My priorities were not in any order, just what we need to sign. Based on the article in the DMN this morning, it looks like Warren will be a WR. Therefore, if Turner plays CB, we will still need to sign 2 more CB's and a S. We are OK at SS with Nnbufie and Harris. We also have Harper and Moodley at FS. I am expecting much improvement from Moodley next year. At least he has experience. Fitzgerald is also a SS.

A lot of RB's coming back next year? Kincaide, a questionable Charles because of injury, and Barnett. I would like to see Barnett in the slot, but he is needed at RB. I guess a lot depends on Charles, but even then we only have 3 RB's returning.

[Higher Authority]

Fitzgerald will be moved to RB next year. And with the addition of one more RB (freshman or JUCO), I think it will start to look crowded. ShanD is expected to be back at 100 percent. I still think Barnett will wind up at receiver.

[50's PONY]

Mickey,
There are more than 3 running backs. The coaches are very high on Matt Young, a freshman recruited walkon from Houston, who has looked very, very good this fall.

[Higher Authority]

That's true - they've liked him from the start. Many sources said he was a player with the caliber to earn a scholarship. How he ended up at SMU, I'm not sure, but I know for a fact that both Bennetts are high on him.

[Smuboy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Higher Authority:
<B>That's true - they've liked him from the start. Many sources said he was a player with the caliber to earn a scholarship. How he ended up at SMU, I'm not sure, but I know for a fact that both Bennetts are high on him.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Matt Young is the real deal. He turned down scholarship offers from Louisiana Tech, BYU and Air Force, among other smaller schools, and bought into Bennett's rebuilding plan at SMU. He is an up and down the field runner who opened some eyes on the practice field this fall. By August he will be bigger and will see time at FB as well as RB.

[91Stang]

How big is the guy now? Anyone know how fast he is?

[hpfan]

Agreed the team needs d-line help but conversions of players hardly ever works.O-linemen are slow d-linemen and that will not due. Lb's to DE is also a problem as a good 300 pound OT will make a normal OLB invisible. The big tall LB like benson and horten were recruited to be what they are.Conversions for the most part are a waste of talent..

[Smuboy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by hpfan:
<B>Agreed the team needs d-line help but conversions of players hardly ever works.O-linemen are slow d-linemen and that will not due. Lb's to DE is also a problem as a good 300 pound OT will make a normal OLB invisible. The big tall LB like benson and horten were recruited to be what they are.Conversions for the most part are a waste of talent..</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Matt currently weighs 205 pounds--but the coaches have told him they would like him to be at 215 this time next year. He ran a 4.45 at the Nike camp prior to his senior year in high school, but his Houston based trainer tells us that he ran a 4.4 this July. But it is his quickness to the hole, and ability to see the field, rather than his speed, that is special.

[PX]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by hpfan:
<B>Agreed the team needs d-line help but conversions of players hardly ever works.O-linemen are slow d-linemen and that will not due. Lb's to DE is also a problem as a good 300 pound OT will make a normal OLB invisible. The big tall LB like benson and horten were recruited to be what they are.Conversions for the most part are a waste of talent..</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jerry Ball was a linebacker who made a rather succesful conversion to the defensive line. And he wasnt particularly tall.
I'd say the success rate is more like 50-50. I've seen people switch successfully from both lines, from tight end to offensive line, or defensive end, from linebacker to fullback, and from quarterback to almost every position on the field. I played both offensive guard and tight end while I was here, to fill in when we had 3 guys injured at end. Its more about the individual than about what position they play. In most of the failed experiments I've seen the player being converted wasnt that good at his original position, thats why he was being moved.

[PerunaPunch]

Actually, Jerry played fullback, defensive end and linebacker in high school.

Although he looked like a monster to me when I was a freshman, he is, in fact, only 6'1" (3 inches shorter than me). I guess it was that extra 75 lbs. of muscle he had on me (300 lbs.) that made him look so formidable. Perfect size for a nose guard, despite having spent time at linebacker at some point in his career.

[PerunaPunch]

That and the fact that he was one hell of an athlete would make him successful just about anywhere you’d want to line him up... as PX says.